Question 484 of 518

Manage task execution and roles →hardMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped

EX294 Manage task execution and roles Practice Question

This EX294 practice question tests your understanding of manage task execution and roles. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.

You are managing a fleet of 50 RHEL 8 servers that host a critical web application. Your Ansible control node runs RHEL 8 with Ansible 2.9. The application requires a specific package 'app-pkg' that is only available from a private YUM repository. The repository is configured on each server via a role 'repo_config'. Recently, after a security update, the repository GPG key was changed. Now, when you run the playbook to install 'app-pkg' on all servers, it fails on some servers with the error: "GPG check FAILED: key ID mismatch". On other servers, the installation succeeds. All servers have the same OS version and are configured identically via the same role. The playbook uses the 'yum' module with 'state: present'. You verify that the GPG key file on the control node is the correct new key and that the role copies it to the servers. What is the most likely cause and the best course of action?

Clue words in this question

Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.

Clue: "best"
Why it matters: Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
Clue: "most likely"
Why it matters: Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.

Question 1hardmultiple choice

Read the full Ansible explanation →

A
Add a task before installing the package to clean the yum cache using the 'command' module: 'yum clean all'. This ensures the new GPG key is used.
Cleaning the cache removes old key data, allowing the new key to be imported correctly.
B
The repository URL might be incorrect on some servers. Use the 'uri' module to test connectivity to the repository.
Why wrong: The error is about GPG key mismatch, not connectivity.
C
The role is not copying the new GPG key to all servers. Re-run the role with 'force: yes' to ensure the key is overwritten.
Why wrong: The role copies the key, but the yum cache still holds the old key ID.
D
Add 'disable_gpg_check: yes' to the task to bypass the GPG check temporarily.
Why wrong: This weakens security and is not a permanent solution.

Full breakdown with real-world context →

Answer choices

Why each option matters

Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.

Correct answer & explanation

✓

Add a task before installing the package to clean the yum cache using the 'command' module: 'yum clean all'. This ensures the new GPG key is used.

Option A is correct because the 'GPG check FAILED: key ID mismatch' error indicates that the yum cache on some servers still holds the old GPG key metadata. Running 'yum clean all' before installing the package forces yum to refresh its metadata and re-import the new GPG key from the repository, resolving the mismatch. Since the role copies the new key file, the issue is not the key file itself but stale cached metadata.

Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.

Answer analysis

Option-by-option breakdown

For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.

✓
Add a task before installing the package to clean the yum cache using the 'command' module: 'yum clean all'. This ensures the new GPG key is used.
Why this is correct
Cleaning the cache removes old key data, allowing the new key to be imported correctly.
Clue confirmation
The clue words "best", "most likely" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
The repository URL might be incorrect on some servers. Use the 'uri' module to test connectivity to the repository.
Why it's wrong here
The error is about GPG key mismatch, not connectivity.
✗
The role is not copying the new GPG key to all servers. Re-run the role with 'force: yes' to ensure the key is overwritten.
Why it's wrong here
The role copies the key, but the yum cache still holds the old key ID.
✗
Add 'disable_gpg_check: yes' to the task to bypass the GPG check temporarily.
Why it's wrong here
This weakens security and is not a permanent solution.

Common exam traps

Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword

The trap here is that candidates assume the GPG key file itself is not being copied correctly (option C) or that a connectivity test (option B) is needed, when the real issue is stale yum cache metadata causing a key ID mismatch.

Detailed technical explanation

How to think about this question

Yum caches repository metadata, including GPG key information, in /var/cache/yum/. When a GPG key changes, the cached metadata may still reference the old key ID, causing a mismatch even if the new key file is present. Running 'yum clean all' removes this cached data, forcing yum to re-download repository metadata and re-import the new GPG key during the next transaction. In Ansible, using the 'yum' module with 'update_cache: yes' can also refresh metadata, but 'yum clean all' is more thorough when key IDs conflict.

KKey Concepts to Remember

Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.

TExam Day Tips

Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.

Key takeaway

Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.

Real-world example

How this comes up in practice

A practitioner preparing for the EX294 exam encounters this exact type of scenario on the job. The correct answer here is not the most general option — it is the best answer for the specific constraint described. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Real exam questions reward reading the full scenario before eliminating options, because the constraint defines which answer fits.

What to study next

Got this wrong? Here's your next step.

Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.

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FAQ

Questions learners often ask

What does this EX294 question test?

Manage task execution and roles — This question tests Manage task execution and roles — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..

What is the correct answer to this question?

The correct answer is: Add a task before installing the package to clean the yum cache using the 'command' module: 'yum clean all'. This ensures the new GPG key is used. — Option A is correct because the 'GPG check FAILED: key ID mismatch' error indicates that the yum cache on some servers still holds the old GPG key metadata. Running 'yum clean all' before installing the package forces yum to refresh its metadata and re-import the new GPG key from the repository, resolving the mismatch. Since the role copies the new key file, the issue is not the key file itself but stale cached metadata.

What should I do if I get this EX294 question wrong?

Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.

Are there clue words in this question I should notice?

Yes — watch for: "best", "most likely". Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.

What is the key concept behind this question?

Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.

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Last reviewed: Jun 11, 2026

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